The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, an image forming method and a program product for forming a monochrome image such as a black and white image from a multicolor image such as a color image.
In the related-art apparatus for forming a black and white image from a color image, for example, image editing software “PHOTOSHOP” (registered trademark) produced by Adobe Systems Incorporated, when a channel mixer function is used, a user mixes basic colors which compose a color image, by a desired ratio, so that a black and white image can be generated from a color image.
However, in the related-art apparatus, in a case where a black and white image is formed by setting a mixing ratio of each of color components, luminance of the thus formed black and white image depends on the sum total of mixing quantities of respective basic colors. Accordingly, when the mixing ratio of each of color components is independently changed, the sum total may be made too small or too large. As a result, the image may be deformed and it may become difficult to visualize the image. Therefore, it is difficult to adjust the mixing ratio of respective basic colors while visualizing the image.